So I didnt write up a journal for after the NYCC, and now MegaCon has come and gone I thought I should get around to it.

I love going to cons, absolutely love it. It may not be for everyone, 1 or 2 a year might be all you can handle, but I cant get enough. I really enjoy how each show is different. And of course what really makes the show enjoyable is the company that you keep throughout.

In New York I was set up in the small press section, and that is its own long story, but I got to set up with 3 other guys from the studio group Im a part of. Tsunami Studios [link]I also got to catch up with Jeff Wamester, mega cool guy. And once again saw the Copeland brothers who easily do as many if not twice as many cons as I do. Very cool bro's NY wasnt a money making con for me, I wont lie, but definantly a great place to network and talk to editors. I talked to easily a dozen editors, some I knew before hand and some I didnt. Though I can easily call the show a success, I was able to pick up some She Hulk work with Marvel and Im slated to do the Ult. FF Requiem one-shot that ends the series.As of right now, Im doing that on top of my Joe work, and obviously that makes me an incredibly busy man.

I also just attended Mega Con which was just plain fun. Lots of friends from the studio made it down. Lots of cosplayers, heheh oh man. Good times. I got to meet up with Chuck Dixon, my fellow GI JOE man and had fun talking with him and got to do an interview with Newsarama while we chatted. Sold some art and prints and had a great weekend. I will post some of the sketches Ive done over the past few shows.

I will also be going to FX International in April. I will have a signing day in ST Louis for FCBD, then Heroes Con in Charlotte, SanDiego, and wrapping up the summer with Ol' Wizard World Chicago.Keeping busy, but loving it. Trying not to stress out over deadlines, but its a good problem to have and I dont take it for granted.

With the GI JOE launch Ive had the chance to be on a few Podcasts and will be doing a few more shortly.

The first one I did, strangely enough, was on the Uncanny X-Cast. They are doing retro reviews starting with Uncanny X-Men #1 from Marvel. They also review current titles, and Ive been a fan of the show for quite awhile. One of the hosts, Rob Briscoe, is a big GI JOE fan and they were willing to break their regular schtick for me to come on for an interview.Im not gonna lie, we talk forever. Like a full hour, so be prepared if you start it. Its episode 52, and the interview doesnt begin until 1hr:25min into the show. [link]

The next one I was on was the GI JOE Review. Where, similar to the X-Cast, they are reviewing the old Marvel series of GI JOE starting with Issue #1. They do related interviews and have had Larry Hamma and Editor Andy Schmidt on aswell.Episodes 21(me) and 22 (Andy), so if you want to know all kinds of back ground info on the new series you can check these out.[link]

I've really gotten into the podcast scene in the last year because it gives me something to listen to while I work, but I feel like I can get info and news on the comic industry. Also, there are alot of titles I dont buy but want to know whats happening. So some shows are doing some great reviews aswell.

As I do more, check em out if you'd like.

Other shows I listen to:
Half Hour Wasted (family safe)
The Comic Addiction(family safe)
Raging Bullets (dc podcast)(family safe)
Legion Of Dudes(family safe)
Quiet Panelologists at Work (QPaw) This one is simply hilarious but can get crude.


*Beware some of these get explicit with the language, so keep that in mind if you find it offensive. but the ones Ive marked as family safe keep it controlled and dont cuss or get too crazy on their topics.

GI JOE #1

GI JOE #1 came out Jan 14th, so it should be at your local comic shop to pick up!

I was at Graham Crackers Comics, a store near Chicago for the release day. I did a signing the whole day and did sketches throughout. It was a total blast, and want to thank Jimmy, Steve and all the guys at GCC that had me up.

I thought I would post some of the pages for you all to peruse free of the dialogue or colors. Enjoy!

Cover and more interviews

So this was recently posted for solicitations, which allows me to show the line art for the cover. Also, to let everyone know the colors that are on the solicitation add aren't the final colors.

I'll see if I can post the final colors soon.I did 3 or 4 cover sketches for this one, and it was still before I knew what would be happening in the issue. As of issue #4 the covers Im doing are more story driven. I cant show the cover sketches that lead up to this, because some of the options could still be used.

This was also before I had gotten very far into the pages of the book so I was still getting a handle on how I wanted Duke and Scarlett to look. In the pages Ive taken a bit of a different approach in their appearance (mostly just the faces)Anyway, there ya go. This issue is going to really kick the series into gear with the action. Alot of stuff happens in the first 2 issues, but not nearly on the scale of issue #3. Also by this issue I have really gotten into a groove with the characters. I think that is typical of most artists starting new projects.

Less than a month and it all hits the fan!!!

GI JOE podcast interview

Quick marker sketch in my sketchbook. actually my first attempt at using markers to color.

I was recently interviewed by the Uncanny X-Cast, a podcast devoted to the X-men! One of the two show hosts is a huge GI Joe fan and was gracious enough to have me on the show. Ive been listening to their podcast for well over a year, and have been a regular member of their forums.

If you're into the x-men they provide a very fun commentary on whats going on with the x-books.

http://www.uncannyxcast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=403940

Here is a link to the episode I was in, #52. the interview starts at 1hr 27min. into the show and lasts about an hour. We talk about a lot of stuff, whew. So check that out if you have time, or want to know more about the current GI JOE stuff coming from IDW soon.

More daily sketches

More daily sketches and of course more Snake Eyes. Everyone is asking for this guy now that Im on GI JOE. Im gonna have to get creative finding new ninja/soldier poses soon. So any ninjas that read my blog, please send me an email and send me some reference please. thanks.

HellCat is a Marvel character that Im not too familiar with, but I was part of a dailing drawing challenge and this character was the subject. I liked the initial sketch, so I decided to ink it and color it up with markers.

COMIC SHOP SIGNING!

Just an early heads up. I will be doing a signing for the release of GI JOE #1 at one of the Graham Cracker Comics in Chicago, IL. It will be that Wednesday that the book comes out during regular store hours. It is the same store that had me do the exclusive #1 cover I had shown earlier on my blog.

here is some of the promo art for the show.